Metal-coated high-temperature strain optical fiber sensor based on cascaded air-bubble FPI-FBG structure.

Metal coatings can protect the fragile optical fiber sensors and extend their life in harsh environments. However, simultaneous high-temperature strain sensing in a metal-coated optical fiber remains relatively unexplored. In this study, a nickel-coated fiber Bragg grating (FBG) cascaded with an air bubble cavity Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) fiber optic sensor was developed for simultaneous high temperature and strain sensing. The sensor was successfully tested at 545 °C for 0-1000 µÉ›, and the characteristic matrix was used to decouple temperature and strain. The metal layer allows easy attachment to metal surfaces that operate at high temperatures, enabling sensor-object integration. As a result, the metal-coated cascaded optical fiber sensor has the potential to be used in real-world structural health monitoring.

Different-mode power splitters based on a multi-dimension direct-binary-search algorithm.

In this work, we design, fabricate, and characterize a different-mode (waveguide-connected) power splitter ((W)PS) by what we believe to be a novel multi-dimension direct-binary-search algorithm that can significantly balance the device performance, time cost, and fabrication robustness by searching the state-dimension, rotation-dimension, shape-dimension, and size-dimension parameters. The (W)PS can simultaneously generate the fundamental transverse electric (TE0) and TE1 mode with the 1:1 output balance. Compared with the PS, the WPS can greatly shorten the adiabatic taper length between the single-mode waveguide and the grating coupler. The measured results of the different-mode (W)PS indicate that the insertion loss and crosstalk are less than 0.9 (1.3) dB and lower than -17.8 (-14.9) dB from 1540 nm to 1560 nm. In addition, based on the tunable tap couplers, the different-mode (W)PS can be extended to multiple output ports with different modes and different transmittances.

Research Progress on Magneto-Refractive Magnetic Field Fiber Sensors.

The magnetic field is a vital physical quantity in nature that is closely related to human production life. Magnetic field sensors (namely magnetometers) have significant application value in scientific research, engineering applications, industrial productions, and so forth. Accompanied by the continuous development of magnetic materials and fiber-sensing technology, fiber sensors based on the Magneto-Refractive Effect (MRE) not only take advantage in compact structure, superior performance, and strong environmental adaptability but also further meet the requirement of the quasi-distributed/distributed magnetic field sensing; they manifest potential and great application value in space detection, marine environmental monitoring, etc. Consequently, the present and prevalent Magneto-Refractive Magnetic Field Fiber Sensors (MR-MFSs) are briefly summarized by this paper, proceeding from the perspective of physicochemical properties; design methods, basic performance and properties are introduced systematically as well. Furthermore, this paper also summarizes key fabrication techniques and future development trends of MR-MFSs, expecting to provide ideas and technical references for staff engaging in relevant research.

Design of OMC-Sagnac Loop Using PDMS and Different Package Structures to Improve Sensing Performance and Optimize the Ill-Conditioned Matrix.

In the process of ocean exploration, highly accurate and sensitive measurements of seawater temperature and pressure significantly impact the study of seawater's physical, chemical, and biological processes. In this paper, three different package structures, V-shape, square-shape, and semicircle-shape, are designed and fabricated, and an optical microfiber coupler combined Sagnac loop (OMCSL) is encapsulated in these structures with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Then, the temperature and pressure response characteristics of the OMCSL, under different package structures, are analyzed by simulation and experiment. The experimental results show that structural change hardly affects temperature sensitivity, and square-shape has the highest pressure sensitivity. In addition, with an input error of 1% F.S., temperature and pressure errors were calculated, which shows that a semicircle-shape structure can increase the angle between lines in the sensitivity matrix method (SMM), and reduce the effect of the input error, thus optimizing the ill-conditioned matrix. Finally, this paper shows that using the machine learning method (MLM) effectively improves demodulation accuracy. In conclusion, this paper proposes to optimize the ill-conditioned matrix problem in SMM demodulation by improving sensitivity with structural optimization, which essentially explains the cause of the large errors for multiparameter cross-sensitivity. In addition, this paper proposes to use the MLM to solve the problem of large errors in the SMM, which provides a new method to solve the problem of the ill-conditioned matrix in SMM demodulation. These have practical implications for engineering an all-optical sensor that can be used for detection in the ocean environment.

Prospective Comparison of 68Ga-FAPI versus 18F-FDG PET/CT for Tumor Staging in Biliary Tract Cancers.

Background Gallium 68-labeled fibroblast-activation protein inhibitor (68Ga-FAPI), an imaging agent for detecting tumors, represents a promising alternative to fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG). Purpose To compare the potential efficacy of 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT with that of 18F-FDG PET/CT for detecting primary tumor and nodal and distant metastases in biliary tract cancer (BTC) and to explore the impact (tumor staging) of 68Ga-FAPI compared with 18F-FDG on clinical management of BTC. Materials and Methods This single-center prospective clinical study was performed at the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University between June 2020 and June 2021. Participants with BTC underwent both 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT. Histopathologic examination, morphologic imaging, and/or follow-up imaging served as the reference standard. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the primary tumor and nodal and distant metastases between 18F-FDG and 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT were compared using the paired-sample t test. Results Eighteen participants with primary or recurrent BTC were evaluated (mean age, 61 years ± 10 [SD]). The sensitivity of 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT was higher than that of 18F-FDG PET/CT for detecting primary tumors (16 of 16 [100%] vs 13 of 16 [81%]), nodal metastases (41 of 42 [98%] vs 35 of 42 [83%]), and distant metastases (99 of 99 [100%] vs 78 of 99 [79%]). 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT resulted in new oncologic findings in 10 of 18 participants and upgraded tumor staging or restaging in five of 18 participants compared with 18F-FDG PET/CT. 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT demonstrated higher sensitivity than 18F-FDG PET/CT in inflammatory processes secondary to tumor-related obstruction (seven of eight [88%] vs one of eight [13%]). 68Ga-FAPI showed lower average SUVmax in inflammatory processes than in oncologic lesions (4.9 ± 2.6 vs 10.0 ± 4.6, respectively; P = .003). Conclusion Gallium 68-labeled fibroblast-activation protein inhibitor PET/CT for tumor staging showed potential for more accurate staging of biliary tract cancer, thereby improving treatment decision making. Clinical trial registration no. ChiCTR2100044131 © RSNA, 2022 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Choyke in this issue.

Imaging features and prognostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT detection of soft-tissue metastasis from lung cancer: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Soft-tissue metastasis (STM) is a relatively rare, but not exceptional, manifestation of lung cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the imaging features of STM from lung cancer using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT), and assess the impact of STM detected at baseline PET/CT on patient survival. METHODS: Out of 4543 patients with lung cancer who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT in our hospital between January 2013 and September 2018, 85 were diagnosed with STM (78 at baseline PET/CT and 7 at restaging PET/CT) and included in the imaging study. We conducted a comparative survival analysis between patients with stage 4 lung cancer with and without STM at baseline PET/CT (n = 78 in each group) and performed univariate and multivariate analyses to investigate the factors affecting the prognosis of lung cancer. RESULTS: A total of 219 lesions were identified by 18F-FDG PET/CT: 215 were detected by PET and 139 by CT. Muscle STM were primarily found in the hip and upper limb muscle, whereas subcutaneous STM were mainly distributed in the chest, abdomen, and back. In 68 patients, STM were found incidentally during routine 18F-FDG PET/CT staging. Isolated STM were detected in 6 patients, whose tumor staging and treatment were affected by PET/CT findings. There were no significant differences in the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates between patients with and without STM at baseline PET/CT. Brain and adrenal metastases, but not STM, were associated with poor prognosis of stage 4 lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: We described the PET/CT imaging characteristics of STM from lung cancer, and confirmed that PET/CT can detect unsuspected STM to change the staging and treatment of some patients. Our analysis indicates that STM is not a useful prognostic indicator for patients with advanced lung cancer, while brain and adrenal metastases portend a poor prognosis.

miR-16-5p modulates the radiosensitivity of cervical cancer cells via regulating coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1.

This study was to investigate the expression of coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1) and miR-16-5p in cervical cancer (CC), and explore their roles in radioresistance. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of CARM1 in tissues and cells. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-16-5p. CC cells received different doses of X-ray exposure, and then cell counting kit-8 method and colony formation assay were used to detect cell proliferation. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Then we used Targetscan database to predict that CARM1 is a potential target of miR-16-5p, and further verified the targeting relationship between them by western blot, RT-PCR and dual luciferase reporter experiments. We demonstrated that CARM1 were highly expressed in CC tissues and radio-resistant CC cells, while miR-16-5p expression was low. Under irradiation, up-regulation of CARM1 can induce radiotherapy resistance of CC cells, while overexpression of miR-16-5p or CARM1 knockdown could inhibit the survival of CC cell and induced apoptosis. CARM1 was verified as a target for miR-16-5p. Besides, up-regulation of CARM1 reversed the increase in radiosensitivity induced by miR-16-5p. Collectively, we concluded that miR-16-5p promoted the radiosensitivity of CC cells by targeting CARM1.

Radiolabeling, quality control, biodistribution, and imaging studies of 177 Lu-ibandronate.

The purposes of this study were as follows: (1) to radiolabel ibandronic acid (IBA, a third-generation bisphosphonate) with 177 Lu, investigating optimal labeling conditions, and (2) to analyze biodistribution and imaging properties of intravenous 177 Lu-ibandronate (177 Lu-IBA) administered in animals. 177 Lu-labeled methylene diphosphonate (177 Lu-MDP) served as a comparator agent. Differing proportions of IBA solution and 177 LuCl3 solution were combined to determine an optimal ratio for radiolabeling purposes, varying pH, temperature, and time to establish ideal reactivity conditions. Radiochemical purity of the labeled compounds was then assessed by paper chromatography. In vitro and in vivo stabilities were also measured at specific time intervals. In Kunming mice, biodistributions of 177 Lu-IBA and 177 Lu-MDP and respective agent activities in various organs were monitored by gamma counter, and we performed single photon computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging of 177 Lu-IBA in normal New Zealand White rabbits. Radiolabeling yields for 177 Lu-IBA proved to be >97% within 30 minutes at 90°C, and its radiochemical purity ensured stability in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we found that 177 Lu-IBA is readily soluble in water, showing higher skeletal uptake than 177 Lu-MDP but lower uptake by liver and spleen. The image quality of 177 Lu-IBA was so clear that even after 6 days, analysis was still feasible.

PFN2, a novel marker of unfavorable prognosis, is a potential therapeutic target involved in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most aggressively malignant tumors with dismal prognosis. Profilin 2 (PFN2) is an actin-binding protein that regulates the dynamics of actin polymerization and plays a key role in cell motility. Recently, PFN2 have emerged as significant regulators of cancer processes. However, the clinical significance and biological function of PFN2 in ESCC remain unclear. METHODS: PFN2 protein expression was validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) on tissue microarray from Chinese Han and Kazakh populations with ESCC. The associations among PFN2 expression, clinicopathological features, and prognosis of ESCC were analyzed. The effects on cell proliferation, invasion and migration were examined using MTT and Transwell assays. Markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Compared with normal esophageal epithelium (NEE), PFN2 protein expression was markedly increased in low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN), high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN), and ESCC, increased gradually from LGIN to ESCC, and finally reached high grade in HGIN in the Han population. Similarly, PFN2 protein was more overexpressed in ESCC than in NEE in the Kazakh population. The results of Western blot analysis also showed that PFN2 expression was significantly higher in the ESCC tissue than in a matched adjacent non-cancerous tissue. PFN2 expression was positively correlated with invasion depth and lymph node metastasis. High PFN2 expression was significantly correlated with short overall survival (OS) (P = 0.023). Cox regression analysis revealed that PFN2 expression was an independent prognostic factor for poor OS in ESCC. Downregulation of PFN2 inhibited, rather than proliferated, cell invasion and migration, as well as induced an EMT phenotype, including increased expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin, decreased mesenchymal marker Vimentin, Snail, Slug and ZEB1, and morphological changes in ESCC cells in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that PFN2 has a novel role in promoting ESCC progression and metastasis and portending a poor prognosis, indicating that PFN2 could act as an early biomarker of high-risk population. Targeting PFN2 may offer a promising therapeutic strategy for ESCC treatment.

SLC39A6: a potential target for diagnosis and therapy of esophageal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a highly lethal cancer, and its underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Recent large-scale genome-wide association studies in Chinese Han populations have identified an ESCC susceptibility locus within the SLC39A6 gene. Here, we sought to explore the expression and biological function of SLC39A6 in ESCC. METHODS: Multiethnic validation of SLC39A6 protein expression was performed in different cohorts of patients from Chinese Han and Kazakh populations in the Xinjiang region by immunohistochemistry. The associations among SLC39A6 expression, clinicopathological parameters, and prognosis outcomes of ESCC were analyzed. And the effects of SLC39A6 silencing by siRNA on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasiveness, as well as the proteins involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of esophageal cancer cells, were studied. RESULTS: SLC39A6 protein expression increased progressively from normal esophageal epithelium (NEE) to low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia to ESCC, and finally reached the highest in high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia from Han ethnic. Similarly, SLC39A6 protein was significantly overexpressed in Kazakh ethnic ESCC compared with that in NEE. Increased expression of SLC39A6 was found to be closely correlated with histological grade and early Tumor-Node-Metastasis stage I/II. High tumorous SLC39A6 expression was significantly correlated with shorter overall survival (OS). Cox regression analysis confirmed that SLC39A6 expression was an independent prognostic factor for poor OS in ESCC. Experimentally, the suppression of SLC39A6 expression promoted ESCC cell apoptosis but abrogated proliferation and invasion, and induced an EMT phenotype that included enhanced expression of E-cadherin, loss of vimentin, and morphological changes in ESCC cells in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Combined, our findings highlight a tumor-promoting role for SLC39A6 in ESCC, suggesting that SLC39A6 could serve as an early detector of high-risk subjects and prognostic biomarker. The targeting of SLC39A6 might be a potential therapeutic strategy for blocking ESCC.

Comparison of 18 F-FDG and 68 Ga-FAPI PET/CT in a Rare Renal Leiomyoma.

ABSTRACT: Renal leiomyoma is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor of the kidney, which mainly originates from the renal capsule or pelvis. We described 18 F-FDG and 68 Ga-FAPI PET/CT findings in a case of renal leiomyoma. The PET/CT findings showed that the left renal leiomyoma demonstrated intensively increased 68 Ga-FAPI uptake, whereas only inhomogeneously slightly increased 18 F-FDG uptake. This case illustrates that 68 Ga-FAPI PET/CT may be an effective tool for detecting renal leiomyoma.

Prospective Comparison of the Imaging Value of 99m Tc-MDP Bone Scan and 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT in Synovitis, Acne, Pustulosis, Hyperostosis, and Osteitis Syndrome.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the imaging value of 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT in synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome and compare it with that of 99m Tc-MDP bone scan. METHODS: Nineteen participants with SAPHO syndrome underwent 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT and 99m Tc-MDP bone scan. Demographic data and clinical features were recorded, SAPHO imaging features were analyzed, and the osteoarticular lesion detection rate in both methods was calculated. RESULTS: This prospective study recruited 4 men and 15 women aged 52.4 ± 8.6 years. The anterior chest wall was involved in all participants (100%). Palmoplantar pustulosis was the most common (36.8%) skin symptom. 99m Tc-MDP bone scan and 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT together detected 84 osteoarticular lesions, of which 91.7% (77/84) were detected by the former and 96.4% (81/84) by the latter. Furthermore, 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT detected 5 cases of knee and hip joint synovitis. CONCLUSIONS: 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT was more sensitive than 99m Tc-MDP bone scan when evaluating osteoarticular lesions in SAPHO syndrome and could also evaluate synovial lesions. 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT could be a good imaging method for SAPHO syndrome but requires further verification in a more extensive research cohort.

Comparison of 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT in Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans.

ABSTRACT: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a rare soft tissue sarcoma with a high recurrence rate. Herein, we present 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT findings of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans in a 45-year-old man. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans only shows limited FDG uptakes on 18F-FDG PET/CT, but demonstrated intense tracer uptakes on 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT. In this case, 68Ga-FAPI was superior to 18F-FDG PET/CT in detecting dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.

Efficacy and safety of Xinmai'an tablet in treatment of premature ventricular contractions due to coronary heart disease: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of human death in the world and a public health problem of global concern. As a common arrhythmia in CHD, premature ventricular contractions are very likely to progress to fatal arrhythmias, resulting in serious adverse consequences. At present, the treatment of premature ventricular contractions due to CHD mainly focuses on catheter ablation, beta-blockers and antiarrhythmics. Both require ongoing monitoring because relapses may lead to redevelopment of cardiomyopathy, and there are varying degrees of indications and side effects. Several clinical studies have shown that Xinmai'an can effectively control the occurrence of premature ventricular contractions and reduce the risk of recurrence. However, there is currently no systematic review evaluating its effectiveness. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide strong evidence-based medical evidence for Xinmai'an tablet in the treatment of premature ventricular contractions due to CHD. METHODS: We will search the main Chinese and English databases from inception to June 5, 2022. And identified as the randomized controlled trials. In addition, a reference list of studies meeting the inclusion criteria will be retrieved. Two researchers will conduct literature screening and quality evaluation. And we will conduct bias risk assessment and sensitivity analysis. The analysis software uses RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: Mainly by observing the number of ventricular premature beat attacks (24-hour holter monitoring electrocardiogram), electrocardiogram efficacy (ST segment and T wave changes) and echocardiogram assesses the structure and function of the left and right ventricular, left ventricular ejection fraction, etc. To evaluate the clinical effect of Xinmai'an on premature ventricular contractions due to CHD. CONCLUSION: The results of this study will provide a basis for the selection of treatment options for premature ventricular contractions due to CHD.

The Impact of Total Variation Regularized Expectation Maximization Reconstruction on 68Ga-DOTA-TATE PET/CT Images in Patients With Neuroendocrine Tumor.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the total variation regularized expectation maximization (TVREM) reconstruction on improving 68Ga-DOTA-TATE PET/CT images compared to the ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) reconstruction. Method: A total of 17 patients with neuroendocrine tumors who underwent clinical 68Ga-DOTA-TATE PET/CT were involved in this study retrospectively. The PET images were acquired with either 3 min-per-bed (min/bed) acquisition time and reconstructed with OSEM (2 iterations, 20 subsets, and a 3.2-mm Gaussian filter) and TVREM (seven penalization factors = 0.01, 0.07, 0.14, 0.21, 0.28, 0.35, and 0.42) for 2 and 3 min-per-bed (min/bed) acquisition time using list-mode. The SUVmean of the liver, background variability (BV), signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), SUVmax of the lesions and tumor-to-background ratios (TBR) were measured. The mean percentage difference in the SNR and TBR between TVREM with difference penalization factors and OSEM was calculated. Qualitative image quality was evaluated by two experienced radiologists using a 5-point score scale (5-excellent, 1-poor). Results: In total, 63 lesions were analyzed in this study. The SUVmean of the liver did not differ significantly between TVREM and OSEM. The BV of all TVREM groups was lower than OSEM groups (all p < 0.05), and the BV of TVREM 2 min/bed group with penalization factor of 0.21 was considered comparable to OSEM 3 min/bed group (p = 0.010 and 0.006). The SNR, SUVmax and TBR were higher for all TVREM groups compared to OSEM groups (all p < 0.05). The mean percentage difference in the SNR and TBR was larger for small lesions (<10 mm) than that for medium (≥10 mm but < 20 mm) and large lesions (≥20 mm). The highest image quality score was given to TVREM 2 min/bed group with penalization factor of 0.21 (3.77 ± 0.26) and TVREM 3 min/bed group with penalization factor of 0.35 (3.77 ± 0.26). Conclusion: TVREM could reduce image noise, improve the SNR, SUVmax and TBR of the lesions, and has the potential to preserves the image quality with shorter acquisition time.

The Value of Diffuse Splenic and Hepatic 18F-FDG Uptake on PET/CT in Diagnosing Patients with Anemia.

Objective: Anemia is a disease with a negative impact on the progression and prognosis of tumor diseases and usually diagnosed by blood tests. Imaging examination has been used as an alternative method to diagnose anemia in addition to blood tests for patients who cannot tolerate blood draw (such as those with severe coagulopathy). The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of diffuse splenic and hepatic 18F-FDG uptake on PET/CT in anemia, by analyzing the correlation between the hemoglobin level and diffuse splenic and hepatic as well as marrow 18F-FDG uptakes in patients who underwent PET/CT. Materials and Methods: Forty four patients who underwent a peripheral blood examination within 2 days of a 18F-FDG-PET/CT in our hospital from March 2020 to March 2021 were included. The standardized uptake value (SUV) of the spleen, liver, and marrow were measured, including the maximum value (SUVmax) and the mean value (SUVmean), and the CT value (CTV) of the left ventricular (LV) cavity was measured, including the maximum value (CTVmax) and the mean value (CTVmean). The relation between these measurements and the blood hemoglobin level were analyzed. Results: Our analysis revealed that the hemoglobin level was negatively correlated with the SUVmax of the spleen (P ≤ 0.01, R = -0.385), SUVmean of the spleen (P ≤ 0.01, R = -0.395), SUVmax of the liver (P ≤ 0.05, R = -0.365), and SUVmean of the liver (P ≤ 0.05, R = -0.315). The hemoglobin level was positively correlated with CTVmax of the LV cavity (P ≤ 0.05, R = 0.33) and CTVmean of the LV cavity (P ≤ 0.05, R = 0.382), while no statistically significant correlation between the hemoglobin level and the SUV of marrow was observed (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our study revealed a negative correlation between the hemoglobin level and spleen SUV as well as liver SUV, and a positive correlation between the hemoglobin level and CTV of the LV cavity. These findings may provide potential indictors for the imaging diagnosis of anemia, which has important clinical significance in certain clinical scenarios including the evaluation of anemia status in patients who cannot tolerate blood draws and retrospective clinical studies based on patient imaging data.

Comparison of Diagnostic Efficacy of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET/CT for Staging and Restaging of Gastric Cancer.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the potential diagnostic efficacy of gallium68-fibroblast-activation protein inhibitor ([68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04) and fluorine18-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]-FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) for primary tumors, lymph nodes, and distant metastatic lesions of gastric cancer (GC), and to explore the effects of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]-FDG on tumor staging and restaging in GC. Methods: This single-center retrospective study (NCT2100044131) was conducted at the Affiliated Hospital of the Southwest Medical University between June 2020 and December 2021. Images of patients with GC who were pathologically confirmed and underwent contemporaneous [18F]-FDG and [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT within 1 week were analyzed. The diagnostic efficacy of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT and [18F]-FDG PET/CT for TNM staging of GC was compared using McNemar test. The maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) of each lesion in the two imaging types was compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: In total, 25 patients with GC (mean age, 56 ± 12 years) were evaluated. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT exhibited higher sensitivity compared to [18F]-FDG PET/CT for detecting primary tumors (18/19 [94.74%] vs. 13/19 [68.42%], χ2 = 6.866, P < 0.01), lymph node metastasis (75/77 [97.40%] vs. 32/77 [41.56%], χ2 = 2.888, P =0.089), and distant metastases (275/283 [97.17%] vs. 122/283 [43.11%], χ2 = 11.858, P < 0.01). [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 accumulation was significantly higher than that of [18F]FDG in tumors (median SUVmax, 10.28 vs 3.20; U=59.00, P < 0.01), lymph node metastasis metastases (median SUVmax, 9.20 vs 3.15; U=53.50, P < 0.01), and distant metastases (median SUVmax, 8.00 vs 4.20; U=200.00, P < 0.01). Compared to [18F]-FDG PET/CT, [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT resulted in new oncological findings in 14/25 patients and corrected tumor staging or restaging in 7/25 patients. Conclusion: Our preliminary results regarding the impact of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT on tumor staging highlight the potential of this approach for increasing the accuracy of GC diagnosis, which may facilitate treatment decision-making.

Efficacy and safety of Guhong injection for coronary heart disease: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is considered one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, posing a serious threat to public health. Current therapeutic approaches for CHD mainly focus on drug therapy, coronary artery bypass grafting, and percutaneous coronary intervention. However, there still exist some problems including drug side effects, adverse cardiac events after percutaneous coronary intervention. Guhong injection is a compound preparation of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine. Several clinical studies have shown that Guhong injection can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms of CHD patients and improve clinical efficacy. However, there is no systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Guhong injection in treating CHD. Therefore, in this study we will plan to systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Guhong injection for CHD, providing a strong evidence-based medical reference for clinical use. METHODS: The database search includes EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Database, Chinese Biomedical Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database. The retrieval time was from their inception to November 30, 2021. The main outcome indicators include the frequency, severity, and duration of angina pectoris attacks, electrocardiogram changes, and dose of nitroglycerin. The analysis software uses RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: By collecting the existing evidence, the results of this study will systematically evaluate the effects of Guhong injection in the treatment of CHD. CONCLUSION: The results of this study will provide evidence for the efficacy and safety of Guhong injection in the treatment of CHD. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY2021120032.

Three-dimensional versus two-dimensional video-assisted hepatectomy for liver disease: a meta-analysis of clinical data.

INTRODUCTION: The benefit of three-dimensional (3D) visualization for liver disease is uncertain. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 3D versus two-dimensional (2D) video-assisted hepatectomy for LD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Medline, and Web of Science for studies addressing 3D versus 2D for 2D until 30 February 2020. Study-specific effect sizes and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined to calculate the pooled value using a fixed-effects or random-effects model. RESULTS: Nine studies with 808 patients were included. The 3D group had shorter operative time (mean difference (MD) = 34.39; 95% CI = 59.50, 9.28), experienced less intraoperative blood loss (MD = 106.55; 95% CI = 183.76, 29.34), and a smaller blood transfusion volume (MD = 88.25; 95% CI = 141.26, 35.24). The 3D group had a smaller difference between the predicted volume and the actual resected volume (MD = 103.25; 95% CI = 173.24, 33.26) and a lower rate of postoperative complications (odds ratio (OR) = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.91). CONCLUSIONS: During surgery, 3D video-assisted hepatectomy could effectively reduce operative time, intraoperative bleeding, and blood transfusion volume, and had a smaller difference between the predicted volume and the actual resected volume and a lower rate of postoperative complications. More high-quality randomized controlled trials are required to verify the reliability and validity of our conclusion.

Gastric Ulcer Mimicking Malignancy on FDG PET/CT.

A 52-year-old woman with newly diagnosed cervical carcinoma was referred an F-FDG PET/CT for staging. The PET/CT images demonstrated the known carcinoma and multiple enlarged lymph nodes with increased FDG activity. In addition, there was a focus of intense FDG activity characteristic of hypermetabolic malignancy in the region of gastric antrum. Finally, this lesion was confirmed as gastric ulcer by biopsy. This patient responded well to antiulcer treatment.